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NEW YORK -- General Motors’ global design talents come together as GM showcases several award-winning concept vehicles at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. Headlining the event will be Pontiac with three world premiere vehicle introductions. Saab will also unveil an environmentally friendly compact sports luxury concept vehicle to North America.
Concept vehicles from China, Europe, the United States and Australia emphasize design, performance and fuel-saving technologies across GM’s eight vehicle brands – Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Hummer, Saturn, Saab and Cadillac.
Some of the notable concepts you will see at the show include:

The Buick Riviera concept, unveiled to acclaim at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show, marks the return of a renowned Buick nameplate and communicates a new global design vocabulary for the Buick brand.

Inspired by Scandinavian design values and a respect for the environment, the crossover Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept combines the benefits of turbocharging, direct injection and variable valve timing for the first time with high octane E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline).

The HUMMER HX concept, a compact, E85-capable vehicle, features a design based on the ideas of a trio of young designers who are new to the HUMMER studio.

The Cadillac Provoq Fuel Cell Concept, a petroleum-free, hydrogen-powered vision of the future of luxury transportation.

Unveiled at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, the GMC Denali XT concept offers a 50-percent increase in combined fuel economy over comparable small pickup trucks when running on gasoline, and incorporates a new, muscular form in a performance-styled, hybrid sport-utility truck (SUT).

Back in October, Leftlane exclusively reported GM was planning to launch a hardtop "targa" version of its popular Pontiac Solstice two-seater. Now, multiple sources are reporting the car will debut at the end of the month in New York.

The vehicle will be on display at the New York Auto Show in two weeks. It's not clear how the project relates to the previously-rumored Solstice coupe. Internally, GM refers to the Targa as GMX627.

Production will start in January of 2009 at GM's Wilmington plant. Production may be limited to as few as 10,000 units annually. Possible debut venues would include SEMA '08 or LAIAS '08.

The Solstice will have a traditional Targa setup, with the panels directly over the driver and passenger's head being removable. Buyers might even have the choice of hard or soft removable panels. It's probably safe to assume the trunk will be mildly reconfigured for a system to stow the roof panels.

It remains to be seen whether GM will also build a regular Solstice coupe, or if this model will sufficiently fill that gap. Nearly a year ago, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said building a Solstice coupe would be a "very logical thing to do."

Lutz said any possible Solstice Coupe would look "exactly" like the Solstice Coupe Concept shown in 2002, so it's safe to assume the Targa model will share its basic lines with that concept. He said it was always GM's intention to build the coupe, but priority went to the roadster.

Lutz acknowledged adding new bodystyles is a good way keep consumers interested in a model when the "new" wears off after a couple of years.

Still much prefer the look of the Sky though.
I have been saying that a coupe version of the Sky would probably jump to the top of my shopping list... should be cheaper and lighter than the convertible - and more rigid and have more storage room.

I'd be into a targa topped Solstice, but only if it includes some real storage space, like the pictured concept shows. I don't want to do Home Depot runs with it, but I'd like to be able to go away with the wife for a weekend. I think my Triumph motorcycle can hold more stuff than the Solstice can.

Also, that design of the bubble hatch is where the solstice styling came from. The young designer used the Chevy Cheetah for inspiration. The Cheetah was to be the Cobra killer, but the small factory burnt down, and that was when Chevy also pulled out of racing, stopping any real production. That's why it works with the hard top.